Keyed car could be strike 3

Man twice convicted of assault with a deadly weapon is accused of felony vandalism.

June 03, 2010|By Britney Barnes

A Huntington Beach man could face 25 years to life in prison for allegedly keying a neighbor's car if an Orange County Superior Court judge counts the act as the defendant's third strike, officials said.

John Patrick Rogers, 45, is expected to be charged with felony vandalism for causing more than $400 in damage, which could send him to prison under the state's Three Strikes Law.

Rogers has two previous strikes for 2002 convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, said Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Robin Park.

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Rogers was arrested Oct. 18 by the Huntington Beach Police Department for keying and denting his neighbor's vehicle, said Lt. Russell Reinhart.

The maximum sentence for the felony charge is two to three years when there are not any previous strikes, Park said.

Rogers has prior convictions and restraining orders filed against him.

"We've arrested him, I don't know how many times," Reinhart said.

He is also charged with contempt of court for disobeying court orders for a separate incident and has prior convictions for misdemeanor lewd conduct in public and misdemeanor reckless driving from March 2003 to May 2004.

Rogers was released from custody days after being arrested and has been out on his own recognizance, but was taken back into custody May 21, Reinhart said.

He is being held in the Central Jail Complex in Santa Ana on more than $1 million bail.

"We felt that the public was safer with him in custody," Park said.

The defendant is expected to go back to court for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. June 22 in Courtroom W14 at the West Justice Center in Westminster.